Leadership is not by force -Pastor Otabil

Head pastor of the International
Central Gospel Church (ICGC) has
challenged President John Mahama to
take up the leadership mantle of
fighting corruption which is fast
eating away Ghana’s institutions.
While Dr. Mensa Otabil appreciates
the enormity of the task of leading a
country, he was quick to add that
“leadership is not by force” and
anyone who applies, campaigns and
ascends the throne of presidency
must be ready to take on the difficult
decisions, including the fight against
corruption.
Unlike chieftaincy where prospective
chiefs are ‘caught’, sometimes
against the will of the chiefs, he said
for the presidency, “we don’t catch a
president; you pay and campaign for
it.”
He said the presidency is a hard,
tough and lonely place but it is also a
choice, one that comes with
responsibility.
He was speaking at a forum organised
by Occupy Ghana and IMANI Ghana,
against the seeming increasing cases
of corruption in Ghana.
Dr Otabil was one of four speakers at
the forum to speak out against
corruption in Ghana. The others were
lawyer, Ace Ankomah, investigative
journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni,
and gender advocate Dr Esi Ansah.
Dr Otabil was convinced that the
anti-corruption laws in Ghana do not
work.
He said citizens in every country are
inherently corrupt. However the only
difference between the cases of
corruption in Ghana and that in
London is that in London the law
works and anybody found to be
corrupt is dealt with.
But that does not appear to be the
case in Ghana, he stated, adding until
the law bites; corruption will not be
eradicated.
Who applies the law?
Dr Otabil said the one who has
ultimate political responsibility must
apply the law and fight corruption.
Quoting Ecclesiastes 5:8, the head
pastor maintained the fight against
corruption must begin from the top,
insisting the president has the
biggest responsibility to fight the
canker.
“You don’t fight corruption by
attacking your enemies; you start by
cleaning your house,” he noted.